Return of the Pirate
by LittleWing
Summary: Captain John Blood returns.
1. The Captain's pov

Disclaimer: I own the characters of Adventure Inc. nor do I claim to. If you sue me all you'll get are my bills, and if you want 'em you can have 'em.

Notes: This has been floating around my head for a while, but I finally got it out of there today, this is not how I normally write but I think that it's pretty good. Please don't flame if you don't like it, cause then I'll be forced to chew you out in front of everyone and it won't be pretty! Enjoy.

Rating: PG

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Return of the Pirate

It'd been nearly two centuries since I had a captain and his crew in my presence; I'd nearly forgotten the fun they could be. The bloodlust I felt that night, or rather morning, I had the great Judson Cross and his small crew was the strongest it'd been in a quarter of a century. Though Daniel's betrayal had angered me, I could almost thank him for bringing Cross to me. That night reawakened my lust for the kill. The centuries with poor bruiting Daniel weakened that lust and dulled my senses to the wonderful world that was waiting for me to discover it again.

When I first brought Daniel Wainright into my world I believed that the wealthy young man would love the power and privilege I'd given him. But too late for me to realize the weakling that he truly was. It was most refreshing to see him finally become what I knew he could be. And though he did betray me to Cross, I saw why he had done it. Judson Cross.

From the first moment that I met Cross I knew the he was; I'd known hundreds like him. I've seen many more of his breed become weak when faced by me. But not the great Judson Cross. The type of man Cross is wouldn't allow Daniel to slink away from standing up to me. Too bad that young Daniel chose to go out in the sun.

I've kept my eye on Cross and his merry little crew in the long months since they stole my treasure and the home I'd lived in for centuries. I've followed them through their adventures and watched as Cross lost many a night of sleep over wondering if I could still be out there lurking somewhere in the shadows like some kind of demon beast. Cross may be the one that I want but I can't help my lingering stares at the lusciously long neck of his young friend; he looks like such a tasty young man. From the moment that I offered Cross immortal life I had wondered how sweet the boy would taste. But alas the ever honorable Judson Cross denied my offer and the taste I was lusting after. 

But lamenting the past will be of no use in getting me what it is that I want and that is Judson Cross. He is a strong man who holds fast to his beliefs and does not easily allow himself to stray from them. He will make the most interesting companion, and if I can't have him then I will take his young friend. Tonight I will ask him one last time to join me in immortality and sail with me for all time, and no matter how he answers I will have the taste that I've spent the last year lamenting over not having. 

Had I been a mortal he would've heard me coming much sooner than he did. I feel his body heat and adrenaline start to rise as he realizes that he's not alone. I can see from my perch on the roof of the wheelhouse that the cool sea air has caused the bare flesh of arms to become covered in goose flesh. I can't help smile at the young man's fear and his sense of bravery. He may have come from a privileged life, but he had all the senses and bravery of any common man I'd ever known. If his fear of not knowing what could be lurking in the darkness around him is any indication of he tastes like, I can't wait for the feast to begin.

"Who's there?" I watch as his lips move like the wings of a butterfly. Oh he will be so much more than a meal and far beyond any kill I've ever had. If he's especially tasty I may have to keep him around for a while. The sweet ones don't come along everyday, particularly these days. There's way too much corruption of the young one's in this time than I remember in my entire life time. "Why don't you save us both some time and come out of hiding now?" Such brave words. I will have to take his invitation.

"Thank you for the invitation, boy." Surprised by my sudden appearance behind him, the young man spun himself around hard. The horror was etched on his young face in such detail that I almost wish I had a camera to document it. I can hear his heart beat ever faster in his chest.

"What . . . You died," his voice came out just above a whisper as his eyes took me in.

"Do you believe that I won't know a way to escape my own home?" 

"No, but I'd hoped." He regained some of his composure.

"I've come for Cross," I say, reaching out to grab hold of Gabriel's arm. I can feel him want to flinch away from me, but he doesn't. "He should be back any moment. And I'm afraid that you are a major part of the deal I'm going to make with your boss." I pull him in close to me, his sent intoxicating me as I breath him in. Just a taste, I tell myself as I lean in closer to his baby soft neck.

"Let him go!" Judson's strong voice throws me from my drunken reverie. Looking up over young Gabriel's shoulder I see the man that I truly came for standing on the deck his fists curled into fists ready to fight, the grocery bags he'd been carrying tossed away forgotten.

"I have a deal for you," I say, seeing the anger and fear rising the blond man's green eyes as he comes closer.

"Let him go and I might let you live long enough to talk."

"You don't have a cannon this time, Cross." I can see the concern he has for the young man I'm holding against my chest. "And as you can see I have your friend."

"What do you want?"

"What I wanted the first time that we met," I smile at him crudely as stopped where he was.

"And I told you that I'm not interested. So, you can let him go and be on your way."

"Always the saint aren't you, Judson Cross." I pull the young man closer to me. I can see the pale blue outline of his jugular, and begin to pray that the time when I get to plunge into the decadence of his taste is getting nearer.

"I never claimed that."

"Too bad," I shrug. "Saint Judson had such a nice ring to it."

"You got your answer, now let him go."

"No, I don't think that I will just yet." Before Cross could even react to my movement I sink my already watering teeth into the bulging vein just beneath the skin. Greedily I pull his life force from his slender body, ignoring Cross' yelp of disbelief and the cries of young Gabriel. 

I allow the blood to flow over my lips and down his paling skin to stain the light blue tee shirt he's wearing. Slowly he grows ever limper in my grasp and I know that if I don't stop he'll be gone and there will be no chance for another taste of his sweet blood, but I don't want to stop it's too good. Tightening my grip on the dark haired youth, I unlock my jaw and release my hold over his jugular. Placing my hand on his forehead I pull his wilted head to rest on my shoulder, the smell of his blood permeating the salty air of the sea. "You can die, I can allow Judson to save you or you can join me, which do you choose?" I whisper in his ear.

"I'd rather die," is his weathered response. Watching Cross' face drop I know that he too knows what his young friend said.

He is braver than any I've ever known. Cross has worked hard teaching this one. Maybe someday soon I'll test just how willing he is to die before he allows me to give him the very thing he'll spend the rest of his life chasing after. "Not yet." I release him and he falls heavily to the deck of the boat. "There's no need to chase me, Cross, I won't go far," I say as he runs to the side of his young comrade. Taking his momentary distraction as my cue I leap to the wheelhouse roof once more before returning to my world of never ending night. Someday I will have them both.

The End 


	2. Gabe's pov

Disclaimer: Sorry, I just noticed that I messed up the one on the first page. I DO NOT own any part of the characters or story lines from the tv show Adventure Inc. It was a typo on my part in the first disclaimer. Sorry for that one little slip up, I'll do better in the future to not mess up like that again.

Notes: This is part two of something that feels much longer. I'm going to be writing the entire thing in first person, but alternating pov's. Not worry, I'll tell ya who's eyes we're peeking through in the chappie title. Sorry for the wait on anything new, but I had a baby. She's 6 ½ months old now and a lot of work. I will be finishing my other wips as soon as I can. But I got a little blocked. I'll do my best to update something before the end of September, but no promises. Also, sorry that the chappies will be kind of on the short side, but that's just how this one's going to go.

Little Wing

Before I even open my eyes I can feel the sunlight flooding the room. I wish that I couldn't remember what'd happened to me and that I weren't in the hospital. Knowing Judson that's exactly where I am. I don't even want to answer the usual round of questions, which is why I'm keeping my eyes shut. I can feel someone in the room with me, probably Judson sitting snugly against the vinyl seat of the hospital chair, new lines of worry already etched on his once young face. I can all but taste his fear and hatred of the situation he probably blames himself for putting us in.

If I were in a more playful mood I'd tease him about how everything in the world that goes wrong is always his fault, but I don't have the energy right now. And the lights are really taking their toll on my eyes.

"Could you please turn off the sun for a few hours?" I have to smile at the thought of him nearly fall out of the comfortable grooves he'd made in the chair at the mere sound of my voice.

"About time that you joined the land of the living again," Judson's coolly collected voiced beamed at me nearly as bright as the sunlight itself. "How ya feeling?"

I can't help but cringe at the question. I knew that it was coming, but there was no good way to answer it. I could mumble out a fine, but Judson would know the second that the words fumbled from my lips that I was lying. After what'd happened last night, there was no way on this planet that I was fine. I don't think that he'd want the answer that I feel as though I'm burning up and that rumble in my stomach is more than just normal hunger pains. What the hell did Blood do to me anyway? Well, I know what he did and why but I don't know why I feel like this now.

"Could you please close the blinds?" I ask, feeling as though my skin has already been burned to the third degree. I do the best that I can not to wince as another pain of hunger hits the bottom of my belly. I feel as though I'm either going to burn up from the outside in, like on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, or I'm going to be ripped apart by the hunger pains that won't stop.

"I told the police that a mugger came aboard the boat and tried to kill you after I startled him," Judson's ever-calm voice cut through the tangle of thoughts weaving through my brain.

"And how'd you explain the lack of blood?" I asked absently. Wish I knew if he'd already said how he explained that or not. I've got to get my head back on straight and forget about what happened. We're leaving in a few days to go find something old. I'm not sure what yet, Judson has been very tight lipped about it. Man would I love to meet someone who could read that man's mind; it would be very interesting to know what's going on up there.

"What lack of blood?" he said looking at me as if I'd lost my mind.

"What?" Maybe I did loose my mind. Maybe I made up last night. Maybe I was just dreaming, sleeping walking and fell hard enough to land in the hospital. No, The Captain did this to me; whatever this is. God, what do I have to do to get rid of these hunger pains!

"According to the doctors, you're just a little anemic," he stole a little patch of the thin hospital bed near the foot. "I wasn't sure how to explain it, so I opted not to right now. Get some rest, you get to come home tomorrow." He gave me a little pat on the leg just above the knee.

Great. I don't think that I want to exactly know what he's going to come up with to explain how in the hell I acquired two puncture wounds to my neck that are more than likely surrounded by several different impressions of teeth. When are they going to let me eat? The pain in the pit of my stomach is the strongest that I've ever felt in my life. What did that sick man do to me?

He stole something from me, other than my blood.

I need to find him. Why do I need to find him? What can he do for me? Stop my hunger. He has to know how.

"Dinner," a voice said after a brief sharp knock at his door. Silently a college-aged man sat the dinner tray on top of the larger roll around tray table, and left. The smell of roasted potatoes, cranberry sauce and turkey smothered in gravy fills the room and my nose. The grumbling in my belly lashes out again. Reaching quickly for the cover that was keeping my food warm, I tear it off and stare at the food waiting to be eaten. Eagerly I skip the utensils and start in with my bare hands. Greedily stuffing a large piece of turkey dripping gravy along the tray into my mouth, I begin to feel sick. This isn't what I want to eat. Sure it smells good and it looks great but this isn't going to stop the hunger. How do I know that?

Mindlessly I shove the tray away from me, the contents of the tray spilled onto the floor with a crash that barely even registers with my mind. Slowly I pull myself out of bed and move to the window. I can see that the sun has started to set; much to my relief. Staring at the covered window, I know what I must do. I have to get out there and find the Captain.

How? Follow through feeling. Where'd that come from? I should stay here and wait for Judson or Mac to come back and tell them what's going on. No, they wouldn't want to know, and they wouldn't listen anyway. Mac might, but Judson is guilt ridden enough for the three of us. It wasn't his fault that the Captain came into our lives, nor was it his fault that the captain wanted him bad enough to follow us. And Judson had nothing to do with the Captain coming aboard the boast last night and trying to kill me.

If he were trying to kill me, why am I not dead? He didn't want to kill me. Oh, God, why didn't I see it before. He wants me to follow him. He wants me to find him. He wants me to replace Wayneright.

I don't want this. I love life too much to live like this. Damn that man to hell for what he's done to me.

"Ahhhh!" I moan, doubling over in pain from the hunger. How can I find anyone in this shape? I need to eat. Oh, God I have to eat blood. I can't.

"Gabe?" a tender voice questions through the fog. It's Mac.

Turning torture filled brown eyes her way I say the only that will come to my drying lips, "help."

"What's wrong?" Her arms slide effortlessly around my shoulders and she guides me back over to the bed. "You don't look good at all."

"I'm hungry."

"And what was that," she gestured toward the food scattered over the beige and white tiles of the hospital floors, "dog food?"

"I don't want _that_."

"What do you want, I'll go get it." She's being so damn nice. I know that she's just concerned, but her mothering is more like smothering right now. I know that I shouldn't feel that way. This is the first time that she's been in for a visit.

"I don't know what I want, Mac," I scoff at her. "I just know that food is not it."

"Didn't you just say . . .what happened last night?" Her blue eyes burrowing into mine searching for answers to her new suspicions. "All I can get out of Judson is that you were attacked by a mugger."

"I wish," I breath, as if saying the words will rid me of whatever it was that The Captain did to me. The curious twinkle in her eyes and the firm set of her face tell me to go on. "John Blood came looking for Judson last night. When Judson refused, again, to join him and become whatever he is; the Captain bit me."

"Whoa, wait a minute!" the amusement in her voice high. She didn't want to believe us. How is anyone else going to? "He what?"

"Bit me. Look." I pull the bandages from the side of my neck revealing the two small puncture wounds and one large bruise.

"Knock, knock," a cheery voice from the hall calls into the room. Soon the face and body attached to the too cheery voice comes into our view. She's a petite red head with slightly pale skin. "Mr. Patterson, my name's Aimee, and I'm here to give you your release papers."


	3. Mac's Pov

Notes: Sorry that this is sort short and slightly jerky. I got stuck on the other part and this was the only way that I could get past that. I probably won't use this pov again. Sorry if y'all hate this. I'm thinking that there're about 2 more pov's coming. Though they will mirror each other and seem redundant they aren't. BTW I know that this part is not very good and flaming me will only result in me doing a bunch of ranting and raving, so please don't bother because I don't have time for it!

Little Wing

The warm smell of turnkey and gravy filled my nose as I entered the room. It took me back to last Thanksgiving when Gabe and Judson started a small food fight with the mashed potatoes. The memory brings a small fond smile to my lips as I push farther into the somewhat private room of Gabriel Patterson. _What the hell_. I nearly say loud and sharp the moment that I spot the slices of turkey smothered in light brown gravy covering the floor at the foot of his bed. Near the windows I hear a small gasp. _Why is it so dark in here?_ I quickly move toward the soft noise.

"Gabe?" I say coming closer to him. Through the dim light of the room I can see that he's leaning against the wall, barely keeping himself up.

My heart sitting tight in my throat, I nearly cry when he turns his agonized brown eyes to me. I can see the clear struggle for him to find the one word that would make him feel safe and warm. Putting the burden onto my shoulders; a burden that I would gladly take if it would put the sparkle of life that used to dance in his eyes like a fairy celebrating the coming of spring. "Help," he was barely able to force past his pale dry lips.

"What's wrong?" I ask, sliding my arms around his shoulders and easing him back to bed. "You don't look good at all."

"I'm hungry."

"And what was that," I gestured toward the food scattered over the beige and white tiles of the hospital floors, "dog food?"

"I don't want _that_."

"What do you want, I'll go get it." I can feel the pain he's in, as it leaves his body in title force. I can see it on his face that he truly wants something to eat, but that the food he'd thrown to the floor was not on his menu. _What in the hell happened last night?!_

"I don't know what I want, Mac," he scoffs at me. "I just know that food is not it."

"Didn't you just say . . .what happened last night?" I stare hard into the big brown pools trying to read what's going on in his head, looking for answers to my questions. I can't believe that Gabe was put into the hospital by a mugger and Judson had no clear answers for me. Men, I angrily say to myself. "All I can get out of Judson is that you were attacked by a mugger."

"I wish," he breaths, as if saying the words would rid him of whatever it was that happened to him. "John Blood came looking for Judson last night. When Judson refused, again, to join him and become whatever he is; the Captain bit me."

"Whoa, wait a minute!" _What?! _ Did I just hear that correctly. Captain John Blood was dead. He had to be, he lived over a century ago! "He what?"

"Bit me. Look." he pulled the bandages from the side of his neck to reveal two small puncture wounds and one large bruise.

"Knock, knock," a cheery voice from the hall calls into the room. Soon the face and body attached to the too cheery voice comes into our view. She's a petite red head with slightly pale skin. "Mr. Patterson, my name's Aimee, and I'm here to give you your release papers."

"What about the anemia?" I hear him ask through the fog of shock that he shoved me into with the news what happened the night before.

"He said that it's not that serious, and wrote you a prescription for iron pills, and scheduled you for an iron test at the end of the week." She handed Gabe the papers and quietly left the room.

"You have to help me find him," Gabe's soft demand yanked me from the dense fog.

"How?" How do you find a dead man? If that man wasn't dead before he did this, he will be when I get through with him.

"I can sense where he is."

"Where is he then?" I can hear the disbelief oozing from every syllable that came from my mouth.

"Very close. He wants one of us."

"One of you?" I can't help but feel a little lost at his words.

"He wants Judson to join him, but if he can't get Judson he's content with me. We have to stop him."

"Well, then," I say without even really knowing what I'm agreeing to, "we'd better get started.

The cool evening air rushes over the skin of my arms as Gabe and make our way, him leaning against me for support, down the street. I don't know where he's leading us, but I can tell that it's somewhere near the docks. The fresh salt water and seagulls tell me that much.

"He's very close by," Gabe mutters as we close in on the marina.

"Gabe," I say stopping the furious pace that he set. "I can't believe that this is real. This is too much." I've never been a firm believer in the supernatural or the occult. It was never my job. Cold hard facts was my job. Knowing when to break out the guns or knives or bare fists was what I was trained for. I knew that world not the fantasy world that Judson and Gabe loved. Granted, Judson wasn't some eager beaver when it came to things outside the realm of normality.

"I need you."

Nodding an okay we start back with the pace that we had before.

Like a madman searching for lost treasure Gabe stopped us just outside warehouse.

"He's in there."


	4. Gabe's Pov

"He's very close by," I mutter as we close in on the marina.

"Gabe," Mac say's stopping the furious pace that I set. "I can't believe that this is real. This is too much." I know that she's never been a firm believer in the supernatural or the occult. It was never her job. Cold hard facts was her job. Knowing when to break out the guns or knives or bare fists was what she was trained for. She knows that world not the fantasy world that Judson and I seem to be able to handle. Though, Judson wasn't eager to believe when it came to things outside the realm of normality.

"I need you," I tell her, barely about a whisper. I'm not even sure that she was able to hear me, until I see her small, reassuring nod of okay. As though we never stopped and Mac never had any doubts, we start back the rapid pace that I set earlier.

The feeling of hunger in the pit of stomach binds tighter as we approach a short row of warehouses. Staring at the row of the five rundown buildings, I push the feeling out. I know which one he's in. The one in the middle. There must nothing there, if he's using it. Bring us to rest in front of the salt and wind worn building I stare hard at it before I tell Mac that this nightmare is almost over, "He's in there."

"Are you sure?" she asks, shifting me in her arms so that she could see my face, to read me. I see the worry in her eyes as I do my best to reassure her that I know we're in the right place.

"I'm sure."

Taking a deep breath, I do my best to summon all the strength that I have left and let go of the warm support she'd offered. She can't go in there, it isn't safe for her. The Captain is sure to do anything he can to trick me into joining him, and I can't let him use her. I know that she wants to help, but not getting herself killed is the only way she can help me. Squaring my shoulders as best I can, I move away from her and toward the door to the warehouse. "Stay here," I tell her in the strongest voice I can manage.

"What!" her shocked voice filled the air along the dock.

I have to smile the closer I get to the door of the building and further away from her. I can just see her standing there with her hands on her slender waist, blue eyes wide with shock and fear as I head for what she is certain is my doom. She may be right about the doom part. I hope to God that she's not.

__

Don't look back, I tell myself as I open the gray security door and step through. Stale sea air and wet cardboard assault my sense of smell as I enter the building. Closing the door, I realize that the hunger that'd nearly driven me to madness at the hospital had subsided. I can't help but allow a small sigh of relief to escape me. _No,_ I tell myself. _Now is not the time to relax. Fight now, relax later._

Walking to the center of the empty warehouse I do my best to sense the man who'd drawn me here. I know that he's here. I can feel him. I just can't see him trough the darkened shadows of the open empty space.

"Captain!" I shout into the deepening dark, tensing the muscles in my jaw. "I know that you're here!"

"And I you," came the almost snooty reply from somewhere above him. "I must say, my little avenging angel, that you are the first person in almost two centuries to find me so soon. Most denied what was happening and died ignoring the pains they felt. But you . . ."

"What did you do to me?" I shout into the darkness, interrupting whatever string of praising words he had planned to say to woo me to his side.

"I gave you a gift," a harsh voice said softly into my ear. The hair on the back my neck stands on end as I realize that The Captain was able to sneak up on me. "A gift that needs to be finished," a rough hand rakes down the side of my face in an almost affectionate manner as The Captain speaks, "or you'll die."

Swallowing the fear and bile that I feel rising in my core, I turn to face the immortal madman. "How long would I have if I walked out that door right now?"

"A week. Maybe," he said with a shrug.

"Why?" I ask sounding like a small child.

"I don't know. Just the way that this works." The Captain shrugged again, not caring if he really answered the question or not.

"You want my father's money." There was no question to it. That's the only reason he wanted me. He wanted Judson because of his mind, but me he wanted for the trust fund. No shrugging lie could hide that fact.

"I told you, you were smart, did I not?" He smiled at me. "Now that we know why we're all here, shall we finish what we started last night?"

TBC


	5. The Captain's POV

It's a pity that little Saint Judson declined my invitation to immortality, he would've been able to explore the entire world without fear of death, pain or suffering. He must be consumed with guilt by now; what a great taste that I'll never be able to savor! Maybe I'll visit him again soon to see if he's changed his mind, or if that delicious young woman is still traveling with him. Maybe I'll just leave him be. He maybe a challenge, but I'm not sure that he's really worth the effort. But the young man, he's worth it for the money if nothing else.

Hmmm, yes the young man with his devilish good looks and slightly unruly brown curls. He was a very sweet treat indeed. I can still almost taste his sweet untainted blood as it flowed over my lips. He tasted better than I had imagined. How he must be going stir crazy sitting in hospital room right now? The thought puts a devilish smile on my face.

Oh how he must be itching to find me by now! He is sure to be more than hungry by now. If one of his friends is helping him, how long can he keep himself from attacking them, I wonder? Though what he's going through since I bit him is far from a real blood lust, but it's so very close that he won't be able to tell the difference. Attacking his friend would be skipping a step, but Gabriel strikes me as that kind of boy. Impulsive . . .

Oh, he is smart. It took him less time than it did others to figure out that they can feel where I am. Wonder if he knows that it goes both ways? . . .

"Captain!" he shouts into the darkness that surrounds me. _Does he have any idea how tense he is?_ I ponder as I move closer to the edge of the dark to watch him and his foolish bravery. "I know that you're here!"

"And I you," I say, coolly from my perch just above him. "I must say, my little avenging angel, that you are the first person in almost two centuries to find me so soon. Most denied what was happening and died ignoring the pains they felt. But you . . ."

"What did you do to me?" he shouts, interrupting me. Me! Of the all the people in the world to interrupt! Such bravado! I should find a way to bottle it and sell it, I could make a fortune.

_What did I do to him, indeed?_ Calculating my answer I deftly drop from my perch above my latest acquisition to behind him. _Some explorer, doesn't even know enough to_ _watch his back. I'll have to teach him how ._ "I gave you a gift," I say softly into his ear, the soft skin brushing against my lips. A smile creeps across my lips as the hair on the back of his neck stands on end. His fear gives off the best fragrance of the fear that I've breathed in over the centuries. I should bottle that as well. "A gift that needs to be finished," I tell him softly, as I gently ran my hand down the soft skin of his face, "or you'll die."

"How long would I have if I walked out that door right now?" he asked, gathering his bravado and turning to face me.

"A week. Maybe," I say with a shrug.

"Why?" he asked almost sounding like a lost child.

"I don't know. Just the way that this works." I say with yet another shrug. _Why so many questions? There's only one thing to be done, and he wants to know the how's and why's? Typical human! Too bad that he doesn't know, there aren't always how's and why's._

"You want my father's money." There was no question to it. I have to smile at him. He figured out part of the why. He must know that he wasn't my first choice. Of course he would know that, he was there the first time that I offered little saint Judson a chance at immortality. After our first encounter I did my homework and learned that the child of the Adventure Inc group was loaded. More correctly he would be loaded one day. And once we're done here, we'll make that one day sooner instead of later. So he knew. I never wanted to hide what I wanted from him.

"I told you, you were smart, did I not?" I smile at him. "Now that we know why we're all here, shall we finish what we started last night?"

"I won't get you my father's money."

"My dear boy, you are assuming that you have choice," I say, quickly seizing him by the throat. A shudder runs through his thin weakened body, and my smile widens. The perfume of his fear comes to me in big beautiful waves. Not even, Waynewright had the mixture of fear and bravado that I was seeing in this young man's eyes as he stared down what he was sure was his death.

Ignoring his weak struggles, I pull him to me exposing the marks that I left last night. Hovering over the wound, I can't help but take in the sweet smell of the clotted blood. Running my tongue over my drying lips and anxious teeth, I savored the memory of the boy's taste. Closing my eyes, I lower my teeth to the tender flesh of captive's neck.

"Let him go." A voice commands me from the dark.

_Damn it! His little girl friend! How could I have forgotten about her?_ Tossing my prey at the nearest wall, I turned to face her. The look of horror on her face when her friend grunts as his body makes contact with the wall, brings a smile to my face. How touching! "I suppose that you're here to save the boy?"

"You got a problem with that?" She asked raising her weapon to aim at my chest.


	6. Mackenzi's POV

"Stay here," Gabe says, his voice almost too weak to be heard.

"What!" I don't even attempt to hide the shock and hurt in my voice. How could he ask me to help him and then want to leave me behind? What kind of friend does he think I am? "Wait!" I yell in a hushed whisper after him, as he staggers through the doorway to the old building.

Great, first he wants my help and then he doesn't, and now he's running right into the trap of a madman! Not really a subject that I want to have to tell Judson about. Hi, sorry Gabe's not coming back because that lunatic Captain Blood has him…Why?…oh, I dunno, maybe because he foolishly walked right into a trap! How ballistic would Judson go with a lame story like that when I go back empty handed? Good going, kiddo.

I need a weapon. If I'm going to go in there and pull the kid's fat out of the fire, I need something to kill, or in the very least maim the psycho with. I can't believe the hospital wouldn't let me take my gun with me. It's not like I would have used it. If they knew about the lives we led and the things we've seen, they would've insisted that I sit outside his door with it in my lap!

Pulling myself from my mental tirade, I spot the remnants of a wooden create. Moving quickly, I pick up a jagged piece of wood and head toward the building. Human or not jamming this through his psychotic heart will kill him…hell it'd kill anything.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"A week. Maybe," I hear the Captain's harsh voice say coolly as I make my way through the dark warehouse. A week for what? I think as I continue to make my way toward their voices in the dark.

"Why?" Gabe asked, almost sounding lost and alone. Why doesn't he know that he's not alone? Or at least he wouldn't be if he'd let Judson and I help him. He didn't have to face the Captain alone. We would've gladly fought this one for him. Oh, what I wouldn't give for a flash light!

"I don't know. Just the way that this works."

"You want my father's money." Well that answers one question, I think wryly, continuing to make my way to them through the darkness of the building.

"I told you, you were smart, did I not? Now that we know why we're all here, shall we finish what we started last night?" An involuntary shutter makes its way down my spine at the Captain's words. He was going to kill Gabe.

"I won't get you my father's money."

"My dear boy, you are assuming that you have choice," the Captain's voice is hard and cold. I will my legs to move faster as I hear sudden gasping and gurgling sounds coming from Gabe. That bastard! I have to do something.

"Let him go," I all but yell at the thing holding my friend in a crushing grip around the neck.

Horror washes over me as I see him toss Gabe as though he were a rag doll into the far wall. A thick thud from the weight of his tall body connecting with the wall and a small tired grunt are the only sounds I can hear as Gabe came rest against the floor and wall. "I suppose that you're here to save the boy?" he asks, sounding exasperated.

"You got a problem with that?" I ask moving closer, aiming my weapon at his chest.

"What's that?" he scoffs at me. "You honestly think that you can kill me with that?"

"Let's try it and find out," I say quickly striking my target.

Much to his surprise my make shift weapon finds its mark. With a grunt I shove the frail wood as far into his chest as possible. Damn it, not far enough! It never looked that difficult on Buffy!

"Nice try," the Captain spits at me, yanking the fragile piece of wood from his chest and tossing it to the ground at my feet. "You won't get another." Before I can even think about attacking the twisted bastard, he's gone; his sick laugh permeating the thick blackness surrounding me.

And then silence.

After what feels like a hundred years the silence finally starts to come to an end, as something moans and stirs in the darkness before me. Behind me I feel that there's someone there watching me and whatever's in front of me. That's the Captain. He wants Gabe to kill me. He's hoping that Gabe's weak enough, scared enough to kill one of his closest friends. I don't care how scared or weak that Gabe feels he won't kill me.

"Shhh!" Gabe's rasped voice whispers into my ear as his shaky arms pull me in close to him. "Don't worry I wouldn't give him the satisfaction."

"What are we going to do?" Despite the layer of cool that'd settled over his skin in the last few hours he still felt warm. He was still their Gabe and not whatever that sicko was attempting to turn him into. If he weren't using me as a leaning post and the Captain were dead I would've allowed myself to relax into his grip.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I have never, nor will I ever, owned any character or part of Adventure Inc.

A/N: This is the last chapter, in Gabe's POV.

* * *

"You won't get another," I hear the Captain say venomously, just before his would be psycho laughter fills the air. I can feel how much it bothers Mac; how much she wants to kill the beast causing us such terror. She's afraid; I can feel—smell—that too. She's afraid that she's somewhere between being just in the nick of time and too late. She isn't too late. I'm still me.

Focusing on Mac and her beacon of emotions I manage to pull myself from the fog being unconscious poured over me. On some level I notice that his insane laughter has died and that Mac feels almost swallowed by the silent darkness.

More silent than I ever remember being able to move before, I push myself to my feet and move the few feet that's between Mac and me. "Shhh!" My tired voice rasps into her ear as I pull her closer to me. A shiver shoots down her back making her body shake slightly in my grasp. Had there been more light she would've seen the shadow of a smile painting its way across my lips as I say, "don't worry I wouldn't give him the satisfaction."

Her too tense body relaxes slightly at my words and I'm sure that there's almost a smile on her face for a brief moment as she realizes that I'm still me; no beast inside just yet. "What are we going to do?" she whispers. "Are you even strong enough to beat him?"

"I'm going to have to be," I whisper back, spying the Captain's form hiding in the shadows behind us. She knows that he's there; I can smell her fear and bravery. For the briefest of moments I wonder what it would be like to taste of her; to feel her anger, desire and fear flowing through me. I can't. She's not here to help me in _that_ way.

"How touching?!" His voice booms through the thick darkness. Mac tenses again as I shove her behind me. His little trick had the desired effect on her, but not on me. I can hear his booted feet moving along the dust and debris ridden concrete floor as he repositions himself on the edge of the black abyss. "If you take her now, you might have a chance at beating me."

"I don't want this," I hiss through the stale air at him. I can see the smile-cocky and confident- pour over his lips as I realize that he can read me as easily as I can read Mac. "Let her go and you can…"

"Kill you?! How noble," he says moving closer, locking his golden eyes on mine, "and very tired that is?! My dear boy, if I wanted you dead you would have been ages ago."

"Why bother settling with me when you really want Judson?" I stall as I attempt to maneuver Mac towards the door.

"I must have tossed you into that wall a little harder than I thought, boy," he mused as his hand shot out at me, catching me high on my cheek. "I could have sworn we covered that subject already."

"Oh we did."

"Then kill her and get it over with," he said with a small wave of his hand as though Mac's life should mean no more to me than a squirrel lying the road dead. "Oh, don't seem so surprised, Ms. Previn, young Gabriel here has been debating it for at least the last hour or so."

Staring hard at the monster before us- a monster I don't want to become- I feel as an involuntary shuddered coursed through her once again. I want nothing more than to close my eyes and allow the hurt I feel at her unconscious wavering trust in me to run over, but I can't. He would take that as a sign. A sign that'd I'm giving in, resigning myself to a world of never ending night and ever lasting youth. I can't give that. I don't care how well he can read me.

"She wants you to," the Captain's says, clawing through my thoughts of defiance. "She wants you to be strong enough to defeat me. You do know, Ms. Previn, that if he did that I'd win, don't you?"

He sure likes the sound of his own voice, I think as I feel Mac's surprise at the brazen man's words. One way or another, this is going to end and that man will be dead.

Pulling in a deep breath to help clear my head and help me to figure out how I'm supposed to kill a…I don't know how old man, I catch the scent of something else. The salt in the air from the sea being so close by masked it but it was there; the coppery salt smell of blood…the Captain's blood from Mac's attempt at driving the wooden shard through the Captain's heart not ten minutes ago. Narrowing my eyes at the darkness behind the Captain I see it- the still slick blood glinting slightly in the almost non-existent moon light.

Ignoring that the Captain, I quickly turn and face Mac. Her fear level goes up, though she never shows it. I can smell that she's afraid of me. Pushing her invading fears from my mind I grab her by the arms and pull her in close to me.

"I won't hurt you," I whisper in her ear- the bare skin beneath my fingers turning to goose flesh as my breath tickles her ear. "I have an idea."

"But?" she questions tilting her head up slightly to look me in the eye. Some of her fear melts when she sees that I haven't given up yet.

"We have to pretend that I killed you . . . or at the very least, tried."

"All right," she whispered letting a shaky breath escape her.

Doing my best to make the growl I let out sound real, I pulled Mac's slighter frame flush to me. Breathing in her scent one more time, I am almost as relieved as I am afraid at the level of fear in her . . . or the lack of fear in her. Her body, once tense in my grip, is loose and relaxed. She trusted me even when she was scared, I knew that, but this total giving trust was not what I expected at all.

"Get it over with, boy," the Captain says with just a hint of amusement to his voice.

"For once I agree with the man," she says softly, and I feel her almost waver in her decision to follow my lead.

"I'm sorry," I whisper. Feeling a sharper set of teeth descend in my mouth, I will myself to follow through with the plan. Careful not to cut her too deeply, I drag my new teeth over the soft, pale skin breaking it.

She doesn't respond to my words, and only hisses at the pain my teeth caused in scratching her neck. Step one, accomplished.

Keeping her body flush to mine and my lips firmly held over the scratch, I began to maneuver us toward the edges of the darkness surrounding the smell of his blood I had tracked. In another time and place being close to her like this would have been more fun than challenge. The taste and smell of her blood is almost enough to kill my concentration and the task at hand. But lucky us, we get attacked by a highly narcissistic vampire.

His calls to get on with killing Mac and joining him pull my mind away from the call her blood is sending. I can feel the Captain's eyes on us as we neared where he'd tossed the stake Mac had unsuccessfully attempted to kill the abomination of a man with. Stopping us just above the make shift stake, I take one last scrape against her neck.

"You need more," she says, not pulling away from me, "take it."

"I-I-Mac, I don't want to be like him," my lips barely leave the skin of her neck and voice is almost less than a whisper, but by the way she shudders and presses closer I know that she heard me. Step two. "Pretend to faint."

Her trust in me was never more evident than at that moment. The words no sooner left my lips and her body was as dead weight in my arms. Attempting to hide my intent, I carefully lowered us to the floor of the abandoned warehouse. The wood beneath Mac's body is cool, but the smell of blood on it is unmistakable. My fingers curl around it as I release her from my grasp.

"Dear Lord, boy, please tell me that you're tougher than Daniel ever thought of being," The Captain scolded as I turned to face him.

"She's my friend," I say, moving toward the man I never want to see again. The bit of blood from Mac was not enough to fuel my slowly changing body, but the anger of what he wanted me to do to her would be more than enough to help me rid the world of him.

"Friend . . . food," he said with a shrug, "what's the difference?"

"How could you possibly think that I would want to become anything like you?" I continued for him; my anger growing the more he speaks.

"My dear boy, I never once considered what you wanted," his voice was flat. "All I cared about was how I could use you."

"You really are a bastard," I growl, diving for him. My fingers of one hand caught into the thick fabric of his jacket as began to drive us toward the wall behind the Captain, and my other hand revealed the bloodied piece of wood from Mac's previous attempt to kill him.

"You don't care that in killing me, you kill yourself?" His back collided solidly with the wall.

"I won't die a monster," I say as I manage to shove the fragile piece of wood deep into the vampire's chest. The whole process was much easier than they show in the movies, and also much grosser. The wood with the still slick blood sank with a sick pop into the Captain's chest. Blood didn't spurt all over, but it did seep out around the wood.

"Fool," The Captain spat at me as his body fell to the ground in a heap.

"Gabe?" Mac was beside me. I hadn't heard her come to my side, felt it a little maybe, but not like before. There was no intense sense of her blood flowing through her body. There was no intense and persistent hunger sitting in my stomach. I feel so incredibly tired. "Is it over?" she asks, wrapping her arms firmly around me.

She feels warm. "Yeah," I lean further into her strong embrace, "I think so."

"Let's go home." I nod, and allow her to lead the way.

Fin


End file.
